BRPI0407821B1 - WLAN SIGNAL CONNECTION SOLUTION - Google Patents

Abstract

"wlan tight coupling solution". A method for communicating between a cellular system and a mobile terminal via a standard wireless lan is described and the internet allows data communications to travel through the core of the cellular network, thereby allowing subscriber time and volume usage to be monitored. billing purpose. a radio adaptation layer (ral) protocol is arranged over the eap / eapol protocol. In the cellular system, a gprs service support node has a ral / eap / tcp-ip protocol to provide communications between the wireless lan and the cellular system over the internet.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to communications between a user terminal and a cellular communication system via a wireless LAN. Wireless LAN communicates with the cellular system via the Internet. The user terminal is attached to the cellular communication system via the wireless LAN access point.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Public Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) systems are becoming commonplace, but WLAN systems are mostly independently operated and controlled. Thus, there are many separate owners / operators of WLAN systems. Each separately controlled system is called a "domain". Because of the large number of owners / operators, or domains, it is difficult or impossible for a user to subscribe to all the different WLAN systems on which a connection can be made, especially in view of the fact that the potential user may be aware of their existence. of a wireless local area system in a particular area only when your portable communication device announces its availability. In order to alleviate this situation and provide better services, some service providers somehow aggregate two or more separate WLAN systems, agreeing with other providers.

A communication service provider may provide several different types of service. In those cases where the communication service provider is a cellular communication network provider (3GGP or cellular telephone service), the provider may provide Internet access, with the user authenticated over the cellular network through Internet access through Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). In such an Internet-only WLAN service, Internet data never travels or moves through the cellular system. However, authentication, authorization, and accounting control data related to the Internet service may traverse the cellular system. The term "loose coupling" is applied to communications in which control data for establishing a connection, and user authentication, authorization, and accounting information is routed by the WLAN to the cellular system, but once the connection is established, the data are routed to the Internet, or other network, over the WLAN only. The loose coupling arrangement has the disadvantage that cellular and WLAN systems are substantially independent, and the cellular system operator therefore has no immediate access to information regarding the WLAN system's time use or data volume. , both of which may be helpful in billing the customer. In addition, the user cannot access certain specific cellular network services such as SMS.

Another possible type of communication service is entirely cellular network based access, where user data and control information both travels over the cellular network. In such a service, the WLAN acts as a part of the cellular network radio network and the user has access to the full range of cellular network services, including Internet access and specific services such as SMS. This type of communication is known as "tight" coupling. While theoretically attractive and potentially beneficial to the user and service provider, tight coupling has been considered by many standardization groups to be very complex as the required protocols and infrastructure adversely affect WLM. Currently, certain standard bodies, such as the European Telecommunication Standard Institute (ETSI), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and 3rii Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) are focusing on the loose coupling model because of its relative simplicity. . Figure 1 is a simplified block diagram of a prior art GPRS 3GPP digital cellular telecommunications system generally referred to as 10. In general, such a system adheres to standards for digital cellular telecommunications (Phase 2+) ( GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS); General Packet Radio Service (GRPS); Service description; Stage 2 (3GPP TS 23.060 version 3.7.0, 1999). System 10 of Figure 1 includes a radio access network (RN or RAN) 12 and a core network (CN) 14. Radio access network 12 includes a set 16 of Radio Network Controllers (RNC), some of which of which are illustrated by 16a and 16b. Each set of 16 radio network controller (RNC), such as RNC 16b, controls at least one "base station" or "Node B". In Figure 1, RNC 16b controls a set 18 including node B base stations 18a and 18b. Each node B base station corresponds to a cell of the cellular system. Each B-node base station or cell communicates wirelessly (radio) with one or more mobile users (UE), one of which is designated 20, located in the corresponding cell zone as suggested by symbol 22. The core network (CN) 14 of the telecommunication system 10 of Figure 1 includes a set 30 of GPRS Service Support Nodes (SGSN), two of which are designated 30a and 30b. Each set 30 SGSN provides services to manage the connection between core network 14 and user 20 via radio access network 12. In this context, connection management refers to connection management, authentication, and mobility. In this context, connection management is based on the process of providing network resources such as radio, memory, and priority resources in order to transmit data. Mobility is the set of protocols / processes that allow the user to move between multiple cells, and is also known as transfer. Each SGSN also serves as a "helper", providing the user with access to other 3G services, such as Short Message System (SMS).

GPRS Service Support Nodes (SGSN) of core network 14 SGSN pool 30 communicate with a Home Location Record (HLR) which is illustrated as an external memory 40. HLR 40 is the database that includes all information relevant to each subscriber in network 10. The set 30 SGSN, such as, for example, SGSN 30a, identifies and authenticates a user by reference to O HLR 40. The Communication Network Support Node (GGSN) 32 of the core network 14 provides core network interconnection 14 and an external Internet Protocol (IP) based Data Packet Network (PDN) 110, such as the Internet. System 10 also includes Edge Routing (BG) 34 in core network 14. Edge Routing 34 is a function that allows the user to use the service of two or more GPRS networks belonging to different domains (operators). Edge Routing 34 is connected to a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) 134.

In operation of system 10, RNCs 16a, 16b of set 16 implement or embody the interface between core network 14 and radio access network 12. Figure 2a is a simplified illustration of the mobile terminal control protocol stacks ( UE 20, cluster node B, cluster 16 Radio Network (RNC) Controllers, and cluster 30 GPRS Service Support Nodes (SGSN), and Figure 2b illustrates a sequence of successive protocol operations to open a user data channel between UE 20 and SGSN 30 of Figure 2a. In Figure 2a, protocols associated with the UE mobile terminal are generally designated 220, protocols associated with Node B are generally designated 250, protocols associated with the RNC are generally designated 216, and those associated with SGSNs are designated at 230. The radio interface between the mobile node UE and Node B corresponds to one of the standardized 3G cellular radio interfaces, such as WCDMA. On the UE mobile terminal, the MAC (Medium Access Control) protocol in conjunction with the RLC (Radio Link Control) protocol allows information to be carried whatever its nature (ie data or user control). Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol is used between the UE and RNC for radio connection control (connection creation, removal, and / or modification). GPRS Mobility Management (GMM) and Connection Management (CM) protocols are used between the handset and SGSN for mobility management (authentication and transfer) and user data connection management respectively. Node B (or base station) is under the control of an RNC by using a set of protocols, which is not shown in Figure 2a. The RNC is controlled by the SGSN through the Radio Network Application Protocol (RANAP) protocol which is supported by an unrepresented ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) protocol stack. The SGSN communicates with GGSN 32 of Figure 1 for control purposes through GTP-C (Control - GPRS Tunneling Protocol) which is supported by a protocol stack based on the TCP / IP protocol stack. Figure 2b is a sequence diagram of successive protocol operations to open a data user channel between the mobile terminal and the SGSN.

Initially, a mobile terminal UE, such as terminal 20, once connected, picks up or captures broadcasted downstream information, thereby allowing the UE to transmit an attachment request to the SGSN via a physical transmission opportunity. SGSN immediately opens a signaling channel used for control purposes only. This process is not shown in Figure 2B and is represented as a first step by a number 1 within a circle. Once the basic signaling (or control) channel is established, the UE handset requests a user data connection characterized by QOS (Quality of Service) parameters or through a Connection Management (CM) protocol. ) (step 2 in Figure 2B). The appropriate SGSN, such as SGSN 30a of Figure 1, checks the request (determines if the mobile terminal is authorized for the requested service) and requests through or through the Radio Access Network Protocol (RANAP) that an associated RNC , which in this case could be RNC 16b, establish the radio connection associated with the QOS parameters (step "3" circled in Figure 2b). The RNC (16b in this case) translates the QOS parameters into parameters that are used to establish the corresponding radio connection, and commands such a radio connection at both the base station (Node B 18a in this case) and the UE mobile terminal, corresponding to the circled step 4 in Figure 2b). The RNC controls the terminal through the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol. UE 20 and Node B 18a use the parameters transmitted by the RNC (take them unchanged) to configure their respective radio protocol layers, including Radio Link Control (RLC), Media Access Control (MAC) and physical layers. The radio channel is then established (step 5 circled in Figure 2b). Both Node B 18a and the mobile handset UE confirm the operation, and the RNC recognizes the operation for the SGSN (step 6 circled in Figure 2b). Finally, the SGSN confirms the success of the handset operation using the CM protocol (step 7 circled in Figure 2b). Figure 3 is a simplified representation of the GPRS 3G user data protocol stack. User data (not shown) originating from the user terminal UE, which may, for example, be in the form of Internet Protocol (IP), is carried between the user terminal UE and the SGSN using Packet Data Compression Protocol ( PDCP), which compresses the IP header to save some bandwidth. Between the RNC stack and the SGSN 330 stack, and within the remainder of core network 14 of Figure 1 to the GGSN stack (not shown in Figure 3) of Figure 1, user data is carried by the GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) ) which is implemented over UDP / IP shown in Figure 3. Figure 4 is a conceptual representation of the 3G WLAN loose coupling arrangement. In Figure 4, The Internet is illustrated as a cloud or circle 410, the public WLAN system as a cloud or circle 412, and the 3G core network, corresponding to 14 of Figure 1, is designated 414. In addition, Figure 4 shows a representative network server 416 and a mobile user 420 corresponds to user 20 of Figure 1. In the prior art scenario represented by Figure 4, user 420 is within the coverage region of public WLAN 412.

When mobile user 420 of Figure 4 Powering up or powering up his handset to make a connection request illustrated by 430, WLAN 412 detects this fact, and directs or redirects the connection request via a control path 428 by Internet 410 for an Authorization, Authentication, and an Accounting (AAA) 424 portion of core network 414. AAA 424 queries its Home Location Record 40 to determine if user data matches that of an authorized user. Once authenticated, AAA 424 authorizes WLAN 412 to allow user data traffic through the access point. The user may then use the Internet, for example by browsing, via a data path 426 communicating with the network server 416.

In the communication domain, protocols are divided between three different plans, namely, Management, Control and User. Management protocols provide a way to configure equipment. Control protocols provide a way to dynamically control / command equipment (eg, connection establishment). User plan protocols provide a way to carry user data. The three protocol stacks can include common protocols, especially those related to information transport. Figure 5 shows the Control plane protocol stack for the loose coupling model. The corresponding User plan protocol stack based on TCP / IP / Ethernet corresponds to the prior art, and is not represented, but is simply IP over Ethernet over the WLAN MAC (IEEE 802.11 in our example).

Control protocol stacks associated with mobile terminal 420, Access Point (AP) 412, and AAA server 424 of Figure 4 are shown in Figure 5 as 520, 516, and 530, respectively. Figure 5 considers IEEE 802.11 to be the radio interface of mobile terminal 520 and AP 516, but may also be other WLAN protocols, such as the ETSI Hiperlan2 protocol. As illustrated in Figure 5, EAPOL information is transmitted between mobile terminal 520 and access point 516. EAPOL refers to EAP over LAN, where LAN is the public WLAN. EAPOL is a standardized protocol (EEE 802.IX) that is used to carry EAP packets within Ethernet frames. "EAP" stands for Extended Authentication Protocol, which is a protocol that can be used to carry any type of authentication protocol. The authentication protocol can be, for example, AKA and EAP SIM which must be chosen by the 3GPP standard body. The DIAMETER protocol is a well-known IETF protocol (RFC 3588) used to control user authorization by AAA. It could be replaced by other equivalent protocols, such as the RADIUS protocol (RFC 2138). Once user 520 is authenticated, meaning that the AAA server 424 of Figure 4 has retrieved a corresponding entry in its Home Site Registry or signature database 40 and the authentication protocol has succeeded, the AAA 424 server (530 of Figure 5) transmits a DIAMETER message to AP 412 (516 of Figure 5) to unblock Ethernet traffic corresponding to authenticated user 420 (520 of Figure 5).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a method for implementing a tight coupling arrangement to enable a mobile terminal to communicate with a communication network over the first and second networks, wherein the first network comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN). and the second network comprises a cellular network. The invention places certain radio network control protocols within the mobile terminal to advantageously allow a tight coupling arrangement to be implemented using a WLAN access point that has been configured for a loose coupling arrangement. Specifically, the invention provides a method for implementing a tight coupling arrangement between the first and second communication networks to enable a mobile terminal to communicate with a third communication network by the first and second communication networks, comprising the steps of: (a) providing, in the first communication network, an access point having protocol stacks adapted for operation within a loose coupling arrangement that allows the mobile terminal to communicate with the third communication network by the first communication network. communication without crossing the second communication network; (b) providing at the mobile terminal radio network controller protocol stacks directly interfacing with corresponding radio network controller protocol stacks in a second communication network access device; and (c) providing, in the second communication network access device, the corresponding radio network controller protocol stacks for interfacing with the mobile terminal radio network controller protocol stacks, whereby the The mobile terminal communicates directly with the access device to traverse the second communication network to thereby communicate with the third communication network in a tightly coupled arrangement.

In a particular mode of this aspect of the method of the invention, the step of communicating private data includes the additional step of communicating private data between the GPRS Service Support Node and an Internet associated server. As a result, the user terminal can access or browse the Internet.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for communicating between a mobile user terminal and a cellular network via a wireless LAN comprises the steps of providing the user terminal with a communication protocol for communicating with the wireless LAN, and providing at the user terminal, and by the communication protocol, a standardized EAPOL protocol for packet frame communication. Furthermore, the method includes providing at the user terminal and the EAPOL protocol a standardized EAP protocol for communicating authorization control information, and additionally providing at the user terminal and the EAP protocol a Layer Layer protocol. Radio Adaptation, Radio Adaptation Layer protocol which provides control of radio communications. In the cellular network, a GPRS Service Support Node is provided. An Internet protocol stack suitable for Internet communication is associated with the GPRS Service Support Node. A standardized EAP protocol for communicating authorization control information over the Internet is provided by the Internet protocol stack. A Radio Adaptation Layer protocol, which is a Radio Adaptation Layer protocol that provides control of radio communications, is provided by the EAP protocol on the GPRS Service Support Node. Communications take place between the wireless LAN and the cellular system over the Internet. Finally, communications are provided between the user terminal and the wireless LAN through the use of the Radio Adaptation Layer.

In a particular mode of this other method, the step of providing a GPRS Service Support Node in the cellular network and associating with the GPRS Service Support Node a suitable Internet protocol stack for Internet communication includes step of providing at least TCP / IP protocol over one physical layer, and providing Diameter protocol over TCP / IP protocol.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Figure 1 is a simplified functional block diagram or architecture of a prior art GPRS 3G digital cellular telecommunications system; Figure 2a is a simplified representation of GPRS 3G protocol stacks from various parts of the system of Figure 1, and Figure 2b illustrates a sequence of successive protocol operations for opening a user data channel between the various parts of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a simplified representation of the GPRS 3G user data protocol stack; Figure 4 is a conceptual representation of the prior art 3G-WLAN loose coupling; Figure 5 represents the control protocol stacks associated with the mobile terminal, Access Point (AP), and AAA server of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a simplified representation of the control information and data flow according to an aspect of the invention; and Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the control protocol and data stacks according to one embodiment of the invention to enable the connectivity functions expressed in Figure 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The prior art presented shows that for WLAN - cellular network interconnection, the loose coupling model is simple, but relative simplicity is associated with certain limitations or undesirable problems. These include the fact that the authentication protocol is new (IEEE 802.lx, EAP, ...) and therefore requires new equipment (AAA 424 server in Figure 4) within the cellular network, and new interfaces with legality equipment. (HLR 40 in Figure 4), all according to the new paradigm. In addition, mobile terminal equipment such as a mobile phone must include two different protocol stacks depending on whether the attachment is via the conventional cellular radio interface (22 in Figure 1) or via the WLAN radio interface (Figure 7). . In addition, the Loose coupling model prevents access to specific cellular network services such as SMS (Short Message System). The invention implements a tight coupling model in which, as in the loose coupling model, the mobile terminal UE is attached or communicates by a WLAN as an access point. In the exemplary embodiment, the WLAN communicates with the cellular network over the Internet, however, it should be understood that the WLAN may also communicate with the cellular network by other suitable communication networks. The protocol stack in a WLAN used in a system according to an aspect of the invention has a protocol stack that is (or at least may be) identical to that used in the case of loose coupling, and therefore a WLAN that is (or may ser) used for the loose coupling model can also handle tight coupling traffic without any modification. An additional advantage that can be obtained in the invention, but not found in the prior art loose coupling model, is that the signaling protocols at the user terminal and SGSN, which are used to manage user data connections and manage mobility. (including authorization) are those already standardized by cellular network specifications, such as the CM (Connection Management) and GMM (GPRS Mobility Management) protocol. According to a further aspect of the invention, in order to avoid the complexity of radio control protocols (RRC in Figure 2a) connected with cellular network radio interface technology (22 in Figure 1) and its complete redesign, A new simplified protocol called RAL (Radio Adaptation Layer) is defined. The RAL layer is a subset of the known RANAP protocol and includes the commands to establish and manage, that is, configure, a connection. This new protocol is quite similar to the RANAP protocol (Figure 2a), and thus is easily implemented. The RAL protocol layer is also similarly implemented in SGSN. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, and in contradistinction to the loose coupling scenario presented in conjunction with Figures 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 4 and 5, connection requests from the SGSN to the UE mobile terminal via this RAL protocol provide QOS parameters directly to the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal translates these parameters into radio dependent parameters. Also, as described below in conjunction with Figure 8, user data transport is according to the conventional model, described above in conjunction with Figure 3, where the GTP-U transport protocol is used between the SGSN and the mobile handset UE, thus not changing the SGSN. Figure 6 is a simplified representation of the information flow and control data in accordance with an aspect of the invention. In Figure 6, elements corresponding to those in Figure 4 are designated by equal reference alphanumeric characters. As illustrated in Figure 6, control information, including the request for access by mobile terminal 620, flows between mobile terminal 620 and the core network 630 of a cellular communication system 600 via a control path 628, which passes through public WLAN 412 and the Internet 410. User data that flows between mobile terminal 620 and a remote network server illustrated as 416 flows through a data path 626a through WLAN 412, Internet 410, and core network 630 , and then an additional path 626b between core network 630 and network server 416, again via Internet 410.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate control protocol and data stacks, respectively, according to one embodiment of the invention, to enable connectivity functions expressed in Figure 6. In Figure 7, 720 designates the control protocol stack for the user. mobile UE (620 of Figure 6), 730 the control protocol stack for the SGSN (630 of Figure 6), and 760 the control stack for the access point (AP). The AP access point protocol stack in Figure 7 is exactly the same as the previous technology wireless LAN used in the loose coupling model. Comparison of the batteries of Figure 7 with those of the loose coupling solution shown in Figure 2a shows that all protocols related to the radio connection, namely batteries 250 and 252, have disappeared. The 3GPP UMTS Radio Access Network Adaptation Protocol (RANAP) used in the arrangement of Figure 2a is replaced in Figure 7 by the Radio A-Datum Layer Protocol (RALP), which is a subset of RANAP and implemented. on the mobile terminal and SGSN, plus some extra commands related to encryption. Most RALP messages are based on RANALP. Therefore, the RALP header contains a value indicating the message format. The general format of the RALP message includes (a) version number, (b) integrity check information (only when integrity protection is required) and (c) remaining information elements (IE).

Thus, the UE 720 and SGSN 730 Radio Adaptation Layer (RAL) entity performs the functions of RANAP. Cellular RALP control information is transmitted between the UE 720 user terminal of Figure 7 and SGSN 730 of Figure 7 via access point (AP) 760, but RALP control information is not processed by the access point, so it flows. essentially directly between the UE and the SGSN, as suggested by path 761.

In Figure 7, note that the access point (AP) 760 is configured, or has protocol stacks, exactly as presented in conjunction with the "loose coupling" solution of Figure 5. More particularly, the access point (AP) ) 516 of Figure 5 communicates with the mobile terminal with physical radio equipment and the EAPOL / WLAN protocol corresponding to the left part of the AP 760 stack of Figure 7. Similarly, the access point 516 of Figure 5 communicates with the Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) 530 of core network 414 of Figure 4 through a physical level (not expressly shown) along with Diameter / TCP-IP protocols, which is identical to the protocol stack represented on the right side of the stack Note also that the authentication protocol and the other control protocols shown in Figure 7 are those already specified by the 3G cellular specification document, and more particularly the 3GPP UMTS; SM and SMS connection management and GMM specifications introduced in the first section of this document. Consequently, a wireless LAN access point can operate in the inventive arrangement without any substantial modifications required to implement a tight coupling arrangement, which is a great advantage.

When a mobile handset UE moves within the coverage area of a wireless LAN, or is initially Connected in such a coverage area, it first establishes an EAP connection to a remote server (SGSN in this case) according to the procedure discussed. for loose coupling scenarios. The access point authorizes or carries only EAP control or traffic. When the UE is authenticated according to the relevant protocol, such as GPRS 3G (GMM) protocol, SGSN 730 authorizes user traffic by transmitting a technology-known DIAMETER message to access point (AP) 760 using the procedure followed by the AAA 424 server in the loose coupling scenario.

When the UE 720 user terminal requests a connection via the connection management protocol (CM), the SGSN 730 processes the request and, using the RALP protocol, requests that the mobile unit establish the radio part of the connection through which data can be sent. be communicated. In response to the request, the UE 720 user terminal translates the request into parameters that are used to establish the corresponding radio connection, finally completed via the WLAN protocol. Figure 8 illustrates the data protocol stacks for the user plan for implementing the tight coupling arrangement according to the present invention. Comparing the stacks of Figure 8 with the GPRS 3G stacks of Figure 3, you can see that all protocols related to the GPRS radio network are missing. The data stacks shown for the user terminal, access point and SGSN are designated 820, 860 and 830, respectively. A notable feature of the present invention is that the RNC radio control functions are embedded in the mobile terminal control stack by virtue of the protocol structure described above.

In the data stack arrangement of Figure 8, the GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) is connected "directly" between the user terminal UE 820 and the SGSN 830, as indicated by line 865. The GTP protocol is carried by UDP / IP as specified by the 3GPP standard. GTP encapsulates user data packets, such as, for example, IP datagrams. User data packets are carried transparently by AP 860 access point, and SGSN to GGSN (Figure 1) which performs the function of an IP router. The "firm" communication system according to the invention provides mobility for the user terminal, which is inherent to the GMM protocol. It is also inherently capable of full 3G GPRS service, complete accounting and security, all inherent in the GMM protocol.

Among the advantages of various embodiments of the invention are that the coupling is performed or made by means of an Internet Protocol (IP) based network, which may be the Internet, and that the solution is compatible at least for WLAN , with the loose coupling solution currently viewed by 3GPP SA2, IEEE 802.lli or ETSI / BRAN.

Thus, a method according to one aspect of the invention is for communicating data between a mobile terminal (620) and a server (630; 416). The method comprises the steps of communicating from the mobile terminal (620) to a wireless LM access point (412) a request for data channel Internet access (410), and routing the request (628) to a wireless channel. wireless LM access point data (412) via the Internet (410), to a GPRS Service Support Node (630) of a cellular communication system (600). The method also includes the step of communicating authorization (628) to the GPRS Service Support Node (630) data channel of the cellular communication system (600) to the wireless LM access point (412) over the Internet ( 410). In response to authorization, the data channel is opened (627, 626a) between the user terminal (620) and the GPRS Service Support Node (630) via wireless LM (412) and the Internet (410). Private data is communicated between the user terminal (620) and the GPRS Service Support Node (630) of the cellular communication system via the data channel wireless LM access point (412) and the Internet (410) .

In a particular mode of this aspect of the method of the invention, the step of communicating private data includes the additional step of communicating private data between the GPRS Service Support Node 630 and a server associated with the Internet. As a result, the user terminal can access or browse the Internet.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for communicating between a mobile user terminal (620) and a cellular network (600) via a wireless LM (412) comprises the steps of providing at the user terminal (620) a communication protocol (WLANMAC and Radio) for communicating with the wireless LAN (412), and providing at the user terminal (620), and by the communication protocol (WLANMAC and Radio) a standardized EAPOL protocol for packet frame communication. In addition, the method includes providing at the user terminal and the EAPOL protocol a standardized EAP protocol for communicating authorization control information and additionally providing at the user terminal and the EAP protocol a Layer 8 protocol. Radio Adaptation, Radio Adaptation Layer protocol which provides control of radio communications. In cellular network (600), a GPRS Service Support Node (630) is provided. An Internet protocol stack (730, TCP / IP) suitable for Internet communication (410) is associated with the GPRS Service Support Node (630). A standardized EAP protocol for communicating authorization control information over the Internet (410) is provided by the Internet protocol stack (730, TCP / lP). A Radio Adaptation Layer (RAL) protocol, which provides Radio Communications Control, is provided by the EAP protocol on the GPRS Service Support Node (630). Communications are between the wireless LAN (412) and the cellular system (600) over the Internet (410). Finally, communications are provided between the user terminal (620) and the wireless LAN (412) by use of the Radio Adaptation Layer (RAL).

In a particular mode of this other method, the step of providing a GPRS Service Support Node 630 in the cellular network 600 and associating with the GPRS Service Support Node 630 an Internet protocol stack (Diameter, TCP / lP) suitable for Internet communication (410), includes the step of providing at least TCP / IP protocol by one physical layer, and providing Diameter protocol by TCP / IP protocol.

Claims (17)

1. Method for implementing a tight coupling arrangement between first (412) and second (630) communication networks to enable a mobile terminal to communicate with a third communication network (410) via first (412) and second (630) communication networks, characterized by the fact that said method comprises the steps of: (a) providing, in the first communication network (412), an access point (860) which has stacks of protocols adapted for operation within a loose coupling arrangement allowing the mobile terminal to communicate data traffic with the third communication network (410) through the first communication network (412) without crossing a plane of the user of the second communication network (630), wherein said second communication network (630) comprises a cellular network and additionally wherein the access device of the second communication network comprises a radio service support node io per general package (SGSN) (730); (b) providing at the mobile terminal radio network controller protocol stacks directly interfacing (761) with corresponding radio network controller protocol stacks in a second communication network access device (630); and (c) providing, in the access device (730) of the second communication network (630), the corresponding radio network controller protocol stacks for interfacing with the mobile terminal radio network controller protocol stacks. whereby the mobile terminal can interface with the access device to traverse the second communication network (630) to thereby communicate with the third communication network (410) in a tight coupling arrangement. ). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first communication network (412) comprises a wireless local area network according to IEEE 802 standards. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that step (b) includes the step of providing at the mobile terminal a control data protocol stack including a subset of the network adaptation protocol. radio access to establish and configure a connection. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that step (a) includes the step of providing at the access point (860) a protocol stack comprising extended authentication / control protocol protocols. wireless local area network / radio medium access by lo-cal area network protocol / Diameter / transmission control. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that step (c) includes the step of providing in the access device (730) of the second communication network (630) the control data protocol stack which includes the subset of the radio access network adaptation protocol for establishing and configuring the connection. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that step (b) includes the step of providing at the mobile terminal a user data protocol stack including packet radio service tunneling protocols. general - user plan protocol / user datagram protocol / internet protocol / wireless local area network medium access control. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that step (a) includes the step of providing at the access point (860) the user data protocol stack including radio / control protocols. Wireless Local Area Network / Connection / Physical Layer access. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that step (c) includes the step of providing, in the access device (730) of the second communication network (630), a data protocol stack of the user including general packet radio service tunneling protocol - user plan protocol / user datagram / Internet Protocol / Binding / physical layer. 9. Mobile terminal (720) communicating with a wireless local area network (WLAN) to access a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication network (412) and a cellular network (630), said mobile terminal FEATURED for understanding: a radio communicating control data and user data with a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (860) configured for loose coupling between the area network wireless local area network (WLAN) (412) and the cellular network (630); and radio network controller protocol stacks that allow the handset to communicate with the wireless local area network (WLAN) communication network (412) and the cellular network (630) in a tightly coupled arrangement ( "tight coupling"), wherein the radio network controller protocol stack includes a radio network controller protocol stack that includes control data protocol stacks including radio adaptation layer / extended authentication protocol / local area network extended authentication protocol / wireless local area network middle access control protocol stack to establish a connection (761) between the mobile terminal and the wireless local area network (WLAN) ( 412) and the cellular network (630). Mobile terminal (720) according to claim 9, characterized in that the radio adaptation layer protocol comprises a subset of the radio access network adaptation protocol for establishing the connection (761). Mobile terminal (720) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the radio network controller protocol stack includes a user data protocol stack that includes radio service tune-up protocol. per general packet - user plan / user datagram protocol / Internet protocol / wireless local area network medium access control protocols. 12. Mobile terminal (620), characterized in that it comprises: a first protocol stack (720) communicating in a control plane with the network in a tight coupling arrangement and said first protocol stack comprising a radio adaptation layer protocol, said radio adaptation layer protocol being a subset of the radio access network adaptation protocol (RANAP), which establishes and configures a connection to a GPRS Support Node (Service General Packet Radio (SGSN) a second protocol stack (820) communicating on a user plane with said network, said second protocol stack comprising a general packet radio service tunneling protocol for transmission and receiving user data packets. Mobile terminal (620) according to claim 12, characterized in that said user data packets are Internet protocol datagrams. Mobile terminal (620) according to claim 12, characterized in that said first protocol stack (720) further comprises: a connection management layer; a global mobility management layer; an extended authentication protocol / extended authentication protocol by the local area network layer; a layer of access control to the wireless local area network medium; and a physical layer. Mobile terminal (620) according to claim 12, characterized in that said second protocol stack (820) further comprises: an internet protocol layer; an internet protocol layer - user datagram protocol; a layer of access control to the wireless local area network medium; and a physical layer Mobile terminal (620) according to claim 12, characterized in that said radio adaptation layer control information is communicated through an access point but is not processed by said access point. 17. Access point (860), characterized in that it comprises: a dual protocol stack for user plan communication, wherein the first part of said dual protocol stack is in communication with a mobile terminal (820), said part of said dual protocol stack comprises a wireless local area network access control layer, and a physical layer; and a second part of said dual protocol stack is in communication with a general packet server radio service support node (830), said second part of said dual protocol comprising a link layer and a physical layer.